Asbestos and Cancer Risk: Understanding the Link

Asbestos is the name given to six naturally occurring silicate mineral fibres. These are found in the environment as bundles of microscopic, flexible fibres, and are very durable and resistant to heat, chemicals, and electricity. Asbestos was used extensively in industries such as building, electrical and insulation because of its unique set of properties.

Asbestos is carcinogenic and inhaling asbestos fibres, even at very low concentrations, may cause diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a fibrosis of the lung, where asbestos fibres irritate the lung tissues causing shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer, even in the absence of asbestosis. Asbestos is also strongly associated with mesothelioma, a relatively rare type of cancer that occurs in the lining of the chest or abdominal cavities, and is a rare but serious type of lung cancer.